“Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.”
Haile Selassie

We began the “On The Road With Jim” tour last spring and have traveled
71,000 miles since then, visiting all 92 counties and speaking with 79,000
people at 190 events.Our purpose was to
listen to Hoosiers, and hear what they thought the priorities of the next
governor should be.

In those travels, we heard from mayors and businessmen, students and
teachers, the young, the retired, and ordinary citizens, and all said the same
thing:years of runaway spending by
Congress have weakened America, but Indiana is faring better than most.Maintaining policies of the past, however,
isn’t good enough, we have to do more than just preserve the status quo.

Jim Wallace

Right-to-work legislation is a step in that direction, but we need to
do more to recruit employers and create jobs for Hoosiers.Therefore, we’re introducing what we’re calling
our “Ground Up” plan for economic development:

First, we need to fine-tune state government to attract business.I recommend a series of legislative
initiatives, designed to promote development of Indiana business, both
laterally into new industries and vertically into higher-paying jobs:

Project 500. We need to ensure adequate road and utility infrastructure.Since last spring, we’ve been developing
Project 500, a list of needs around the state that hinder economic growth.We intend to work with the state legislature
to allocate up to $500 million of available state surplus to these projects to
unlock development opportunities.

EDGE Credit.We also need to improve employer incentives
to hire Hoosiers across all skill levels.One way is expansion of the Economic Development for a Growing Economy credit,
or EDGE credit, administered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation
(IEDC).The EDGE credit provides $10
million dollars annually to employers that create new jobs in Indiana, a tax revenue-positive
incentive.It’s our intention to work
with the state legislature to expand the EDGE credit and target the greatest
engine of job growth, small and medium-size businesses.

PRIME Credit.Also key to economic growth is the development
of research from our colleges and universities.To this end, we intend to introduce another tax revenue-positive credit,
the Public Research Investment, Management, and Employment credit, or PRIME
credit, which would create tax advantages for organizations investing in research
and hiring graduates from Indiana colleges and universities.

Second, we must diversify the Indiana economy into new areas, growth
sectors of the next decade.There are several
areas Indiana is uniquely suited for, our “21st Century Initiatives”, which we would
intend to focus IEDC efforts on.These
are:

Coal extraction.With clean-coal technology and 57 billion
tons of coal reserves in southwest Indiana—over fifty years of annual U.S. coal
demand—Indiana can lead the way to energy independence and job growth by
getting this coal to market.

Multi-modal distribution.With world-class air, road, water, and rail
access, and comprising 42% of the navigable space between the Great Lakes and
the Gulf of Mexico, Indiana is ideally situated for multi-modal
distribution.In an era of rising oil
costs, this advantage can be the source of significant job creation over time.

Broadband telecommunications.With the Indiana Fiber Network and Smithville
Telephone Company, Indiana has among the highest density fiber optic infrastructure
in the nation.Together with our leading
position in broadband speed and reliability, Indiana can lead the way in internet
technology and job growth nationwide.

“Green” automotive manufacturing.A leader in battery manufacturing, Indiana
can combine its automotive manufacturing strength and lead the development and
manufacturing of electric and hybrid vehicles.

Lastly, there are several areas of economic strength, our “Core
Businesses”, which we must protect and encourage.These are:

Agriculture.A worldwide leader in corn, soybean, dairy,
and other products, we must take steps to maintain Indiana’s leadership in
these markets and meet increasing demand.

Life sciences.A recognized leader in the life sciences
industry, we must encourage continued innovation and growth in this important
sector.

Insurance.As a major player in the insurance industry, we
must take all measures necessary to ensure the preservation of the private
market for life and health insurance.

Gaming industry.The third largest gaming state in the nation,
we must improve Indiana’s competitiveness and encourage development of multi-day
destination operations, and protect the gaming industry’s significant
employment and revenue.

By investing in infrastructure, enhancing our tax code to attract capital
and business, and focusing our efforts in key industries, we can create jobs
and make success attainable for all Hoosiers.As governor, this is how I plan to improve Indiana’s economy.

About Me

I have been an attorney since the Fall of 1987. I have worked in every branch of government, including a stint as a Deputy Attorney General, a clerk for a judge on the Indiana Court of Appeals, and I have worked three sessions at the Indiana State Senate.
During my time as a lawyer, I have worked not only in various government positions, but also in private practice as a trial attorney handing an assortment of mostly civil cases.
I have also been politically active and run this blog in an effort to add my voice to those calling for reform.